9/11: National Day of Remembrance

Is has often been said that the good thing about America is that we move on and forget . . . and the bad thing about America is that we move on and forget. While it is amazing to realize our strength as a nation and our ability to overcome, we must not ever allow ourselves to forget the events of September 11, 2001 nor those that perished that fateful day. As I reflect on that day it now seems so long ago, yet at the same time I remember it as though it were only yesterday. In the news today, there is much discussion about President Obama and his first 9/11 as our Nation's leader and our Commander in Chief. I am not as interested in what he, or the media, says today, but instead what he himself said then, immediately following the country's worst attack in our history. Obama's statment was as follows,

"Beyond the immediate needs to improve security and dismantle organizations of destruction, lay the more difficult job of understanding the sources of such madness. There is a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers, and embittered children around the world, of which the seeds of discontent are sown in poverty, ignorance and despair."

Aside from the fact that he even released this statement as merely a state senator and lawyer, showcasing his obvious feelings of self-importance and boldly foreshadowing his ambitious future, I find fault with the content of the statement itself. Why was his immediate response a call to "understand" the terrorists? Could the statement of "embittered children" and "poverty, ignorance, and despair" be referencing the now all-too-familiar blame America first ideology? Was he, in essence, apologizing for America even then? Contrast his statement with then President Bush, when he declared from a mound of rubble at Ground Zero, "I hear you. The world hears you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!" Straightforward, strong and with action. There is no reason to be nuanced and attempt to gain "understanding" as to why 3,000 Americans had just been violently killed. September 11th has been and should remain a day of resolve and somber reflection. It should be revered for all time as simply, 9/11. Those that perished that day should be honored and prayed for. September 11th should not be labeled anything else. It should be remembered solely for what happened that day and what it meant to our country and countrymen. However, now it is instead being called a "National Day of Service" as declared by President Obama. This calculated name change is an attempt for the left to claim 9/11 as theirs, and their intent is for Americans to forget about the true events of 9/11 and instead focus on being "productive" through liberal agendas, green activities, and the environmental movement. Whatever their vain attempts may be, I know that I will never forget. Don't allow yourself to forget the significance of this day either. Pause to remind yourself. Reflect and remember today and involve your family, friends, and children too. We need these discussions to secure in history, the truth. Now, "let's roll."